El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), or Center for Terrorism Confinement, has gained international notoriety as the largest prison in the Americas and a symbol of President Nayib Bukele’s hardline approach to crime. This massive detention facility, built in response to gang violence, now houses thousands of inmates under austere conditions that have raised significant human rights concerns. Most recently, the prison has drawn additional international attention after becoming part of an unprecedented cross-border penal arrangement with the United States.
Historical Context and Establishment
CECOT emerged as a direct response to El Salvador’s longstanding battle with gang violence, which reached a breaking point on March 26, 2022, when 62 people were killed in a single day – the deadliest day in the country’s recent history[6]. This crisis prompted President Nayib Bukele to declare a state of exception, temporarily suspending certain constitutional rights and civil liberties to combat criminal organizations[6]. The construction of CECOT became the centerpiece of this aggressive security strategy, representing the government’s determination to eliminate gang influence through mass incarceration.
Located in the town of Tecoluca, approximately 40 miles from the nation’s capital San Salvador, the prison was specifically designed to confine high-ranking members of El Salvador’s most notorious gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the two factions of Barrio 18 – the Revolucionarios and the Sureños[5][6]. The development of this facility occurred within a broader socio-political context marked by decades of instability, including a 13-year civil war and persistent economic inequality that contributed to the rise of criminal organizations[6]. The prison, which opened in early 2023, quickly became the most visible manifestation of Bukele’s controversial anti-crime initiatives.
Political Significance
CECOT has significant political value for President Bukele, who has styled himself as the “world’s coolest dictator” and built his political brand around his tough stance on crime[1][4]. The prison serves as a powerful symbol of his administration’s approach to security and has contributed substantially to his popularity among Salvadorans weary of gang violence[5]. By showcasing his ability to confine those he labels as “terrorists,” Bukele has strengthened his image as a decisive leader willing to take extraordinary measures to protect public safety.
The facility is frequently presented to the public through carefully choreographed media tours that highlight the government’s control over gang members once feared in communities across the country[5]. These controlled presentations of CECOT serve to reinforce the narrative that the government has succeeded in bringing order to a previously chaotic security situation, bolstering Bukele’s political standing both domestically and internationally despite widespread human rights concerns.
Physical Infrastructure and Capacity
CECOT is an imposing complex constructed “in the middle of nowhere,” designed to isolate inmates from the outside world completely[5]. Initially announced with a capacity of 20,000 detainees, the Salvadoran government later doubled its reported capacity to 40,000, making it the largest prison in the Americas[2][1][4]. This massive scale raises significant concerns about the facility’s ability to provide individualized treatment to detainees as required by international standards[2].
The prison complex features cells built to hold approximately 80 inmates each, with stark living conditions that reflect the punitive philosophy behind the facility[1][4]. Inside these cells, the only furniture consists of tiered metal bunks without sheets, pillows, or mattresses, creating an intentionally austere environment[1][4]. Each cell contains minimal sanitation facilities, including an open toilet, a cement basin, and a plastic bucket for washing, along with a large jug for drinking water[1][4]. The spartan design deliberately removes comfort and privacy, reinforcing the punitive nature of confinement.
Environmental Conditions
Environmental conditions within CECOT are particularly harsh, with temperatures in the cells reaching up to 35°C (95°F) during the day[5]. Ventilation is limited to air filtering through a lattice ceiling, providing minimal relief from the intense heat[5]. Adding to the disorienting environment, artificial lights remain on continuously, eliminating the natural day-night cycle and potentially contributing to psychological distress among inmates[5]. This constant illumination serves both practical surveillance purposes and as another element of the prison’s punitive regime.
The design and structure of CECOT have earned it descriptions such as a “concrete and steel pit” from international observers, including Miguel Sarre, a former member of the United Nations Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture[5]. These architectural choices appear intentional, creating an environment that maximizes control and minimizes comfort, reflecting the administration’s uncompromising approach to those it deems the “worst of the worst” offenders.
Inmate Treatment and Daily Life
Life for inmates at CECOT is characterized by extreme restriction and isolation. Prisoners are confined to their cells for 23.5 hours daily, with only 30 minutes allocated for movement outside their immediate living space[1][4][2]. This near-total confinement represents a form of solitary detention that international human rights standards generally recommend be used sparingly and for limited periods due to its potential psychological impacts.
Upon arrival at CECOT, new inmates experience an immediate introduction to the facility’s strict regime. They are escorted in shackles with their heads forcibly lowered, followed by a process where guards shave their heads and issue commands – rituals designed to establish dominance and strip away individual identity[1][4]. All prisoners wear identical white uniforms, further eliminating visual markers of individuality and reinforcing collective punishment[5].
Isolation Policies
The isolation of inmates extends beyond physical confinement to encompass all forms of external contact. Prisoners are denied communication with relatives and legal representatives, severing connections that international prison standards typically recognize as essential for rehabilitation and mental health[2]. Court appearances occur exclusively through online hearings, often conducted en masse with hundreds of detainees appearing simultaneously, raising significant concerns about due process and individualized legal representation[2].
The Salvadoran government has explicitly stated that people sent to CECOT “will never leave,” suggesting indefinite detention regardless of sentencing guidelines or rehabilitation progress[2]. Human Rights Watch has indicated that, to their knowledge, no detainees have been released from the facility since its opening, underscoring the permanent nature of confinement there[2]. Furthermore, the prison offers no workshops, educational programs, or rehabilitative activities, eliminating any pretense of preparing inmates for eventual reintegration into society[8].
U.S.-El Salvador Prison Agreement
In March 2025, CECOT gained additional international attention when the Trump administration deported 261 people to the facility, including 238 individuals accused of belonging to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and 23 alleged members of MS-13[1][4]. This unprecedented arrangement formed part of an agreement between the United States and El Salvador, under which the U.S. government will pay $6 million to the Salvadoran authorities for housing these deportees[1][4].
This financial arrangement represents a fraction of the annual $200 million cost of maintaining El Salvador’s penitentiary system but constitutes a significant injection of funds for the country[1][4]. For El Salvador, the deal offers economic benefits while further cementing President Bukele’s image as a leader willing to take extraordinary measures against gangs. For the U.S. administration, the agreement provides an expedient solution to removing perceived security threats outside traditional immigration processes.
Broader Immigration Policy Implications
The agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador represents an unusual extension of cross-border penal policy. Bukele has proposed expanding this arrangement to accommodate American criminals and deportees regardless of their nationality, including U.S. citizens and legal residents currently in American custody[3]. This proposal raises profound legal and ethical questions about the outsourcing of incarceration across national boundaries and jurisdictions.
Critics argue that this agreement may constitute an effort to circumvent U.S. constitutional protections and international law regarding the treatment of prisoners and deportees. The arrangement comes at a time when El Salvador already maintains the world’s highest incarceration rate, with over 110,000 people imprisoned as of early 2024 following its controversial crackdown on gangs[3]. The deportation of additional prisoners to an already overcrowded system further strains resources and potentially exacerbates human rights concerns.
Human Rights Concerns
The conditions and treatment of inmates at CECOT have generated substantial human rights concerns from international organizations and observers. Human Rights Watch has expressed particular alarm about the facility’s inability to provide individualized treatment to detainees given its massive population, noting that this situation contravenes the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)[2].
Critics have characterized CECOT as a “black hole of human rights” where international guidelines on prisoner rights are systematically ignored[5]. Former UN official Miguel Sarre has warned that the facility appears designed “to dispose of people without formally applying the death penalty,” suggesting that the harsh conditions and indefinite detention may constitute a form of extrajudicial punishment[5]. These concerns are amplified by the Salvadoran government’s refusal to grant human rights groups access to its prisons, allowing only journalists and social media influencers to visit under highly controlled circumstances[2].
Documented Abuses and Deaths
Reports from civil society organizations have documented allegations of inhumane conditions, ill-treatment, and torture within El Salvador’s prison system since the state of emergency began[7]. Of particular concern are reports suggesting the possible deaths of between 189 and 200 persons in detention, with figures varying by source[7]. These reports are especially troubling given apparent shortcomings in the investigations of these cases and the procedures surrounding them.
The combination of extreme overcrowding, harsh physical conditions, and absence of external oversight creates an environment ripe for abuse. When compared to international standards, CECOT’s conditions fall significantly short of accepted norms for the humane treatment of prisoners[3]. The absence of rehabilitation programs, indefinite detention practices, and denial of basic rights such as family contact and legal representation represent systematic violations of internationally recognized principles of humane detention.
Legal Framework and Due Process
CECOT houses both convicted criminals and those still progressing through El Salvador’s court system, raising significant concerns about pretrial detention practices[1][4]. Some individuals have reportedly been detained without formal charges, further complicating the legal status of the prison population[1][4]. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has noted that under the emergency regime, El Salvador’s prison population tripled in just a few months, indicating a dramatic expansion of incarceration without corresponding judicial processes[7].
The processing of detainees raises fundamental due process concerns. Inmates appear before courts only in online hearings, often in groups of several hundred at a time, severely limiting individual legal representation and judicial scrutiny[2]. This mass processing approach undermines key principles of fair trial rights, including the right to be meaningfully heard and individually assessed by judicial authorities.
State of Emergency Powers
The state of exception declared by President Bukele, which facilitated the creation and operation of CECOT, has resulted in the suspension of various constitutional rights and protections[6][7]. This emergency framework has enabled authorities to detain individuals based on minimal evidence and hold them for extended periods without formal charges or trials. The IACHR has expressed concern about the comprehensive nature of these emergency powers and their impact on fundamental rights.
These practices highlight the tension between security measures and legal protections in El Salvador’s approach to gang violence. While the government justifies these extraordinary measures as necessary responses to extraordinary threats, human rights organizations argue that they have created a parallel system of justice that operates outside established legal norms and constitutional guarantees, effectively criminalizing certain populations based on appearance, neighborhood, or associations rather than proven criminal acts.
Social and Political Implications
CECOT represents the centerpiece of a broader security strategy that has fundamentally altered El Salvador’s social and political landscape. Despite international criticism, President Bukele’s tough-on-crime approach, symbolized by the mega-prison, has garnered substantial domestic support[5]. Many Salvadorans, weary of decades of gang violence that made El Salvador one of the world’s most dangerous countries, have embraced these draconian measures as necessary sacrifices for public safety.
The prison has become a powerful political symbol, with government officials regularly showcasing it as evidence of their commitment to eradicating gang influence. The director of the center, during government-organized tours, presents inmates as “psychopaths, terrorists, and murderers who had our country in mourning,” reinforcing a narrative that dehumanizes detainees and justifies extreme measures against them[5]. This framing has contributed to the normalization of extraordinary detention practices and the suspension of basic rights in the name of security.
International Relations Impact
El Salvador’s approach to incarceration, particularly the CECOT model, has implications beyond its borders. The arrangement with the United States sets a precedent for international agreements that outsource detention to facilities with conditions that might not meet the sending country’s own legal standards[1][3][4]. This development raises questions about accountability in cross-border penal arrangements and the potential for similar agreements to emerge between other nations.
The international community’s response has been mixed, with human rights organizations consistently condemning the conditions and practices at CECOT while some foreign governments have shown interest in El Salvador’s apparent success in reducing gang violence. This tension highlights broader debates about balancing security concerns with human rights protections and the potential risks of legitimizing extrajudicial approaches to crime control.
Conclusion
CECOT represents a controversial approach to addressing gang violence through mass incarceration under harsh conditions. While the Salvadoran government presents the facility as a necessary solution to the country’s security challenges, significant concerns remain about its compatibility with international human rights standards and the rule of law. The prison’s massive scale, austere conditions, and limited oversight create an environment where abuses can occur with minimal accountability.
The recent agreement between El Salvador and the United States to house deportees at CECOT further complicates this picture, extending the facility’s impact beyond national borders and raising new questions about international responsibility for detainee treatment. As this model of incarceration gains attention, it may influence detention practices in other countries facing similar security challenges, potentially normalizing approaches that prioritize punishment and isolation over rehabilitation and rights protection.
The ultimate impact of CECOT on El Salvador’s security situation remains to be fully assessed. While government officials point to reduced crime rates as evidence of success, critics argue that these gains come at an unacceptable cost to human rights and the rule of law. The tension between these perspectives reflects broader global debates about appropriate responses to organized crime and the limits of state power in pursuing security objectives. As CECOT continues to operate and potentially expand, these debates will likely intensify, challenging both El Salvador and the international community to reconcile security imperatives with fundamental principles of human dignity and justice.
Citations:
[1] What we know about El Salvador’s ‘mega prison’ where Trump is … https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/17/americas/el-salvador-prison-trump-deportations-gangs-intl-latam/index.html
[2] Human Rights Watch declaration on prison conditions in El Salvador … https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/20/human-rights-watch-declaration-prison-conditions-el-salvador-jgg-v-trump-case
[3] El Salvador’s Controversial Offer: Housing U.S. Criminals in Its Mega … https://saisreview.sais.jhu.edu/el-salvadors-controversial-offer-housing-u-s-criminals-in-its-mega-prison/
[4] What we know about El Salvador’s ‘mega prison’ where Trump is … https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/17/americas/el-salvador-prison-trump-deportations-gangs-intl-latam/index.html
[5] Coming face to face with inmates in El Salvador’s mega-jail – BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-68244963
[6] Inside CECOT: El Salvador’s Controversial Prison https://www.princetonpoliticalreview.org/international-news/inside-cecot-el-salvadors-controversial-prison
[7] [PDF] State of Emergency and Human Rights in El Salvador https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/2024/Report_StateEmergencyHumanRights_ElSalvador%20(1).pdf
[8] What to know about CECOT, El Salvador’s mega-prison for gang … https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/g-s1-54206/el-salvador-mega-prison-cecot
[9] U.S. sent 238 migrants to Salvadoran mega-prison – CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-records-show-about-migrants-sent-to-salvadoran-prison-60-minutes-transcript/
[10] Inside CECOT, The Prison that Nobody Leaves – CONNECTAS https://www.connectas.org/inside-cecot-the-prison-that-nobody-leaves-el-salvador/
[11] Inside Trump’s $6mn deportee deal with El Salvador mega-prison https://www.context.news/money-power-people/inside-trumps-6mn-deportee-deal-with-el-salvador-mega-prison
[12] [PDF] repression and regression of human rights in el salvador https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AMR2974232023ENGLISH.pdf
[13] Beatings, overcrowding and food deprivation: US deportees face … https://theconversation.com/beatings-overcrowding-and-food-deprivation-us-deportees-face-distressing-human-rights-conditions-in-el-salvadors-mega-prison-250739
[14] What to know about El Salvador’s mega-prison after Trump deal to … https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-us-rubio-prison-de912f6a8199aaa7c8490585dcaa3b87
[15] Terrorism Confinement Center – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w
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